Media Advisory: OpenMedia.ca Executive Director to Attend CRTC Forum on Future of Internet Governance; Available for Comment

WHO:
Steve Anderson– Founder and Executive Director of OpenMedia.ca, the public engagement organization behind the over 470,000-strong Stop The Meter campaign.

WHAT:
OpenMedia.ca recently criticized the CRTC for closing the public out of the forum Shaping Regulatory Approaches for the Future. While this invitation-only roundtable brings together with "key representatives of industry, academia and government," to discuss the future of Internet governance in Canada, OpenMedia.ca argued that it largely excludes those affected most by the outcome – Canadian citizens – from the conversation.

In light of this criticism, the CRTC invited OpenMedia.ca to attend the meeting on behalf of the public. Steve Anderson flies to Ottawa today to represent Canadians who want a more open and affordable Internet.

WHEN:
Wednesday, March 23rd after 10:00 PM
Thursday, March 24th after 5:00 PM

WHERE:
By phone at 604-837-5730 or at the
Canadian Museum of Nature, 240 McLeod St, Ottawa, ON

Background information:

OpenMedia.ca is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization working to advance and support an open and innovative communications system in Canada. Our primary goal is to increase public awareness and informed participation in Canadian media, cultural, information, and telecommunication policy formation. We strive to make media and telecommunications more transparent, with broader and more representative public participation. Our job is to shine a spotlight on key media policy developments, and provide essential tools and information for citizen engagement.

Stop The Meter: In October, Canadians were outraged by the news that the CRTC had decided to allow Bell and other big Internet service providers (ISPs) to impose new fees on independent ISPs – usage-based billing. Now every Internet user in Canada is likely to feel the sting of a less affordable Internet, and a less competitive Internet service market. Recognizing the importance of this issue, OpenMedia.ca launched the Stop The Meter campaign.

Since its inception, this multi-platform petition, based at http://www.StopTheMeter.ca and in French at http://openmedia.ca/compteur, become a record breaker and a game changer. Over 470,000 names have now been added to the website, Facebook, Twitter, and in print.

For more information please contact:
Lindsey Pinto – 778.238.7710 – [email protected]
Steve Anderson – 604.837.5730 – [email protected]